Our intuition of religions is based on Abrahamic examples. I do not see other religions as equally adamant about enjoying highest power. Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto - these religions are generally content with advisory, propaganda roles (so to speak).

In comparison to Christianity, Islam does seem to identify itself with political and legal authority more verbatim. I give distinctiveness points here to Islam. The Western separation of Church and State originated before the Enlightenment.

An interesting psychological-superstitious suggestion in the article is that the intellectual golden age in the Middle East and Central Asia transpired to a traumatic experience, because of the "punishing" shocks of the Crusades and Mongols. It is then easier to imagine aggressive rationalization of anti-intellectual skepticism. The embrace of terrorism would be then "logical" as adaptation of a practice that works towards their implicit ambitions.